AFS Seeks Host Families for Vegetarian Exchange Students

Every year hundreds of vegetarian international high school students want to live with America families and attend American high schools for an academic year. To make this happen, AFS Intercultural Programs (formerly the American Field Service), a 55-year old, non-profit organization, seeks families interested in hosting them for a school year (from mid-August until late June).

Sometimes it can be difficult to find U.S.families interested in hosting vegetarian students from abroad. Some people think that they will not be able to provide adequate nourishment without including meat in the menu. Others think it will be too difficult to make individual meals for these young people. 

The benefits to both hosted student and host family are enormous. Hosting is something most families can do to improve international understanding and tolerance without leaving home. Families can have kids at home or not, and can be one- or two-parent households; what is required is providing the student's own bed (can share a room with a child of the same gender), meals, and the care and guidance the family would provide for a child of their own.